This invention relates generally to a holster for a firearm and, more particularly to a sidearm holster that rotates in a manner to enable easy drawing and re-holstering of a firearm with either hand.
A typical handgun holster positions the weapon on the belt or waistband of a user with the muzzle pointed down and the grip roughly parallel to the ground and pointed to the rear of the user. Holsters used by police and military personnel often use a retention system to prevent the weapon from being accidentally released from the holster. In such holsters, one or more actions must be taken before the weapon can be drawn, such as activating a release. Retention systems provide more security so that the weapon can only be removed when the user so desires. More significantly, retention systems make removal of the weapon is difficult for an assailant, particularly an assailant facing the user. The downside of most retention systems is that the actions required to release and draw the weapon are very difficult to perform except with the dominant hand of the user. If the user's dominant hand, arm, or shoulder becomes injured or otherwise immobile, drawing the handgun using the non-dominate hand can become very difficult and thus put the user's life at risk.
Currently police and military tactical training involves situations where a police officer or military operator sustains injury to his or her dominant hand, making it difficult or impossible to draw a firearm. Training for these situations typically involves practicing drawing the firearm with the off or non-dominant hand while the dominant hand is secured in place to simulate an injury. Current training methods for this situation include pulling or rotating the duty belt towards the non-dominant hand for easier access to firearm. This method is difficult and slow, as duty belts are secured in place so as to prevent duty gear from shifting during work. Another method is to reach across the body for the firearm with the non-dominant hand and remove the weapon from the holster. It can be difficult to release the retention device or devices in the holster when reaching across the body. Also, if the firearm is removed with this method, the firearm is not in a position to fire as the grip used to withdraw the firearm is backwards such that the user could not properly aim and fire the gun without repositioning it in his hand. To reposition the handgun will generally require placing the weapon under the arm or between the thighs to allow the user to reposition his hand and obtain a firing grip. Doing this allows for the possibility of dropping the firearm and leaving the user susceptible to sustaining injury due to the transitions needed to obtain a proper grip on the firearm.
Once the firearm is withdrawn using the non-dominant hand, reloading and re-holstering the firearm becomes difficult and dangerous, as it requires again placing the firearm between the user's thighs or under arm. Safe and quick access to reloading and re-holstering is not a practical option with either of the current training methods. These methods are slow and dangerous, putting police and military lives in jeopardy by not allowing for quick and safe access to the handgun with the non-dominant hand.
The present invention is a holster that is rotatably connected to the user's belt or other attachment point. In the normal position, the holster holds the handgun like any other conventional holster. Thus when viewed from above, the grip of the handgun points back toward the user. When in the open position, the holster rotates such that the grip of the handgun faces forward away from the user. The holster is attached to the belt with a hinge or hinge-like apparatus. In the open position, the handgun can be readily drawn and re-holstered with the non-dominant hand. In one embodiment, a locking means is employed such that the holster can be locked at one or more rotation angles. When locked in a substantially-open position, the user has quick, safe, and effective drawing, holstering and reloading using the non-dominant hand. The angle of rotation is only limited by the belt or the user's body. Any angle from zero degrees (handgun grip facing back) to 180 degrees (grip facing straight out) to further (beyond 180 degrees such that grip is pointed toward non-dominant hand and lying against the body) is possible. One embodiment is a standalone holster while another is an add-on apparatus to work in conjunction with commonly used police and military holsters. This add-on embodiment of the invention is designed to bolt or otherwise attach to existing tactical and duty holsters such as, but not limited to, those made by SAFARILAND®. Little-to-no modification or fabrication to the existing holster would be required. Both right-hand and left-hand embodiments are envisioned.